Mary Jean ‘Lily’ Tomlin is an American actress, writer, producer and comedian. She was born and brought up in Michigan in a middle class family. She was interested in art and theater from a very young age and started doing stand-up comedy in comedy clubs in Michigan and then later in New York. She got her first role in NBC’S the ‘Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, which made her famous because of the multiple regular roles and gags that she was offered in the sketch comedy. After the popularity of the show, Tomlin produced her own comedy videos, portraying characters from the ‘Laugh-In’. One of these videos won a Grammy. She started doing comedy motion pictures, starring opposite big Hollywood stars like: Steve Martin, Meryl Streep, etc. She has been quite famous on the Broadway as well; known as the only comedienne who ever did the solo comedy act. She is a winner of many awards including primetime Emmys, Tony, Woman in Film Crystal Award, Grammy Award, etc. She is in a long-term relationship with writer/producer Jane Wagner. She is a lesbian and is very open about her sexual orientation in the media.

Lily Tomlin was born on September 1st, 1939 in Michigan, Detroit, to Guy Tomlin and Lillie Mae Tomlin. Her father was a factory worker and mother a nurse’s aide. Their family had relocated from Kentucky to Detroit during the Great Depression.

Tomlin did her schooling from the Cass Technical High School and attended the Wayne State University, where she showed great interest in theater and performing arts. Thereafter, she started doing stand-up comedy in New York City.

In 1969, after Tomlin appeared on ABC Television’s Music Scene as a hostess, she became a part of NBC’s already established comedy show called ‘Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In’. In it she appeared as various regular characters.

In 1971, Tomlin came out with her first comedy video called ‘This Is A Recording’ on Polydor Records. It was based on one of her characters from ‘Laugh-In’, ‘Ernestine’. It became the highest-charting album by a female comedian.

In 1972, she released her second comedy album ‘And That’s The Truth’ which was based on ‘Edith Ann’s’ character from ‘Laugh-In’. She won a Grammy nomination for the Best Comedy Recording for it.

From 1975-1984, Tomlin bagged various comic roles in movies like: ‘Nashville’ which was directed by Robert Altman, ‘Nine to Five’ which was a working women’s vindictive comedy and ‘All of Me’ opposite Steve Martin.

In 1985, Tomlin did one-woman Broadway show called ‘The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe’, which was written and directed by Jane Wagner. She won a Tony award for it and it was later turned into a motion picture.

In 1989, she did another motion picture called ‘Big Business’, a comedy movie in which she starred opposite Better Midler. Tomlin and Midler played the role of twin sisters who were switched at the time of their birth.

From 1994-1997, she was a part of the animated television series called ‘The Magic School’. She gave her voice to the character in the series called ‘Ms. Fizzler’. Around same time, she appeared in ‘Murphy Brown’.

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From 2005-2006, she appeared in a returning role in the popular sitcom ‘Will & Grace’ in which she played the character of ‘Magot’. Around same time, she frequently appeared on ‘The West Wing’ for 4 years.

From 2008-2009, Tomlin did a recurring role in the famous television series ‘Desperate Housewives’. Her character was called ‘Roberta’. She also appeared on one of ‘The Simpsons’ episodes called the ‘The Last of the Red Hat Mamas.’

In 2012, Tomlin made a guest appearance on HBO series called the ‘Eastbound and Down’. Also, she acted in a TV series ‘Malibu Country’, starring opposite Reba McEntire as her mother ‘Lillie Mae’.

Tomlin has received many prestigious awards like: 4 primetime Emmys, a special Tony Award for her Broadway show, another Tony for the Best Actress category, Women in Film Crystal Award, Mark Twain Prize and a Grammy Award.